The Parliament Choir, also known as the UK Parliament Choir[1][2] and the Choir of the UK Parliament,[3] was founded in December 2000 by composer Simon Over with the support of Geoffrey Filkin, Baron Filkin.[4][5] Over had run a choral society at Westminster Abbey whose members included serving parliamentarians in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.[6] These parliamentarians were often unable to attend rehearsals because of voting commitments and the late hours of parliamentary business.[6] Over discussed the issue with Filkin who proposed establishing a choir in Parliament to address the issue.[7][8] Over then set up a choir in the Palace of Westminster, the Parliament Choir, which enabled parliamentarians to attend votes at short notice with the sounding of the division bell during rehearsals, returning to rehearse shortly after the vote had concluded.[6] The choir performed for the first time in December 2000.[8]
Since its founding, the choir has upheld a policy of keeping its membership open to anyone who has a parliamentary pass or works in the Palace of Westminster; membership is open to all parliamentary staff including police and security personnel, caterers and transcribers for Hansard, as well as to journalists with access to the press gallery and parliamentarians from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, including senior government ministers.[8][6][16]Members of Parliament (MPs) have also invited their constituents to join the choir.[4]Auditions are not required to join the choir; anyone who wishes to join may do so.[5] However, there is a membership fee ranging from £60 to £120 depending on members' salaries.[11] Membership is cross-party and its members have included Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians.[8]